Life doesn't come with a play book. Preston Wade knows that better than most. Now, the former quarterback's career-ending injuries are not the only scars he hides.

Desiree Evans might be a catch, but she isn't ready to be anyone's trophy. Fresh out of law school, she has big goals and none of them include scoring the affections of Tampa's leading man, on or off the field. But, in more ways than one, his presence in her life could be a game changer.

Never let them see you sweat and always watch for the BLITZ!

I squeak in surprise as a warm pair of hands snake around my middle and pull me into a hard chest behind. My heartbeat picks up, along with my breathing, as his voice purrs in my ear.

“You’ve been here all of fifteen minutes and you’re already trying to make me jealous.” Hunter chuckles and the mingled smell of men’s soap and sweat enter my nose, a heady combination.

“Actually, I was looking for you out there.” I smile when he spins me around, though my grin instantly fades at the sight before me.

“Is that so? Well, here I am. Do I hold a candle to any of them?” He smirks and my mouth is so parched I cannot form a coherent sentence.

The sight of the players on the field is nothing compared to the virile man standing inches away. Hunter was sex in slacks at Synergy, but seeing his stomach glisten with sweat and witnessing the flex of his biceps underneath the sleeves of his red practice jersey are damn near causing me to detonate. I have never been so close to such raw power and sex before. I run my tongue along my bottom lip as I will my brain to come up with something intelligent to say.

Hunter notices my hesitation and deliberate perusal, gifting me with an appreciative once over of his own. A large hand moves to the hem of his jersey on my body, a thought I suddenly love, as he gently tugs it away from my stomach with dexterous fingers.

“This looks amazing on you. Maybe a little too good for your own safety. I’ve always played offense, Desiree, but seeing you in my fucking number right now, makes me reconsider tackling. You, sweetheart, would be a blitz of epic proportions.”

My mouth parts slightly, his words making me grow needy for a man I have only just met and so help me God, I want. My libido screams, “tackle me!”

“Well, I would say you wear that jersey pretty well yourself, Mr. Griffin,” I respond instead, my brain finally catching up with my body and resuming control.

Hunter nods his obvious approval, though it is clear he knows how amazing he looks without my saying so. I imagine women remind him daily.

“GRIFFIN. QUIT PANTING AND GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE,” a raspy, older male voice yells from below. My cheeks flame as I turn to find an entire team of uniform-clad men staring at our interaction with smug grins and low whistles. My gaze hits the concrete below as I hear most of them laugh in response to my being caught.

Hunter’s forefinger lifts my chin, seeking my eyes as he offers a sincere smile. “That’s my cue, baby doll. Rob will take you upstairs to enjoy the show. This won’t take long. It’s more of a meet-and-greet for the new recruits.” He leans in and places a warm, lingering kiss on my cheek before taking the stairway down, two at a time. I remain rooted in place, enjoying the view of him leaving. Yep, it is every bit as good as his approach.

Michele resides on the outskirts of Raleigh, North Carolina with her two amazing children, Kaylee and Matthew, and her husband Michael, who support her quirky habits and creativity each day. She is a hopeless romantic whose passion for reading and writing first appeared during her husband’s last lengthy deployment. Her debut novel, Ethereal (a military paranormal romance) released in September 2014 with two more books expected to follow in the Guardian Series.